Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok named Yasir Arman, the Deputy Chairman of the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) led by Malik Agar, as a political counselor, Aisha Hamad Mohamed as a gender advisor, Ali Juma Abdallah as a governance and institutional reform advisor, and Hassan Nasrallah Ali Karrar as a peace advisor in his cabinet. Also, the Prime Minister appointed Fakhr al-Din Abdal-Rahman Ali as the interim General Auditor replacing al-Tahir Abdel-Qayoum Ibrahim as National Auditor of the Republic of Sudan.
Arman’s appointment as a political advisor to the Prime Minister was hailed by Mohamed Osman Al-Democratic Mirghani’s Unionist Party (DUP). The DUP, which was close to the former administration, called Arman’s appointment “a welcome indication provided he is given a full mandate to administer the ‘political affairs’ file and vast powers to take it ahead.”
Following the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement, Arman rejected to serve in the transitional administration, stating that he did not want to devote his time to monitoring the country’s peace implementation and democratic changes. He is the only former rebel figure who has been appointed outside of the power-sharing agreement with previous armed groups.
Except for the National Congress Party (NCP) of former president Omar al-Bashir, Arman has advocated for broadening the social base backing the transitional government and discussion with religious forces, claiming that NCP supporters committed war crimes, conducted grave human rights violations, and looted public monies.
Last June, Hamdok launched an initiative calling for the reunification of the revolution’s historical forces, including the Sudanese Communist Party, as well as a deal with the transitional authority’s military component on security reform and the integration of all armed forces into the national army.
